3 Ways to Identify and Match Any Paint Color, According to Experts

If you want to add a fresh coat of paint to your walls but you're not sure what the existing color is, don't opt for a different shade just yet. Instead, try color matching. Color matching helps to identify a specific paint color and is commonly used during home renovations when people want to touch up an old paint job or use an existing color in another room. Here, we're sharing three different methods for how to color match paint—as well as how to identify its finish—according to paint experts.

How to Match a Paint Color With a Wall Chip

One easy way to find an exact match to your current paint color is to remove a chip from your wall and bring it to your local paint store or home center. Take the chip from a low-visibility spot, like behind an electrical outlet cover. "Simply remove the cover and use a utility knife to gently cut out a small piece of dried paint," says Sara McLean, color expert and stylist at Dunn-Edwards. "Bring this color chip into a paint store, which will have the technology to determine the exact color match."

How to Match a Paint Color With a Paint Sample

Color samples are also an effective way to find a true match for touch-ups, entire walls, or other projects. "If you're trying to match a specific color, gather a selection of paint samples close to the hue and take them home to paint on the surface of the color you want to duplicate," says Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr. "Observe the samples in multiple lights and determine which sample matches best."

How to Match a Paint Color With Technology

A handful of paint brands have virtual tools that allow homeowners to track down their desired paint color. "Color matching apps provide fast color matches from top paint brands. For example, BEHR's Color Smart, allows users to color match by uploading a photo or taking a picture directly from the app," says Woelfel. "The app will then analyze the photo to determine the color from the brand that best matches." Keep in mind that light, texture, and the variations on phone screens may impact the results.

How to Identify the Paint's Finish

A paint's finish, or sheen, is different than its color and refers to the reflective shine on the surface of paint. "You can figure out what type of sheen your paint has by how much shine or light is reflected from the surface," says Julie Fisher, product manager of Dutch Boy Paints. There are five main types of finish—flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss—with flat being the most matte and gloss being the shiniest.

While there are obvious visual differences between these finishes, you can also tell them apart by touching the wall. If it feels dry, it's likely flat or eggshell, while the glossier finishes usually feel smooth.

What room the paint is in will also help you determine what sheen you have. For example, the paint in your bathroom—where humidity is common—may have a higher sheen than the paint in your living room. On the other hand, flat paints are more durable and touch-up better, so they're commonly found in busy areas of the home, like the family room or dining room.

How to Test the Paint to Confirm It's a Match

Once you've found your color match, you should test the paint against your current color before painting the entire surface. "It is not recommended to test paint with a small patch, as they do not have enough surface area to see enough of the undertones," says Woelfel. "Painting a minimum 12 foot by 12-foot square will provide a clearer picture of what the room will look like once the painting project is completed."

Leave the patch up until you've seen it throughout various times of day and have tested it against different lighting arrangements. "When there's a lot of light in a room, colors appear more vibrant and saturated," says Woelfel. "When there's less light and a room is darker, colors can appear darker and lose their intensity." What looks like the perfect match in the morning may not be the right fit in the evening.